A social network system or service focuses on the building and verifying of online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others, and which necessitates the use of software. Most social network services are primarily web based and provide a collection of various ways for users to interact, such as chat, messaging, email, video, voice chat, file sharing, blogging, discussion groups, and so on. The main types of social networking services are those which contain directories of some categories (such as former classmates), means to connect with friends (usually with self-description pages), and recommender systems linked to trust. For example, and among myriad interests, a social networking service, or application thereof, may focus on athletes and athletics, members of which may interact regarding their athletic interests and activities. Social networking services may further include or describe a framework for application development. Such applications may interact with core social networking service functionality or other applications to customize the social networking service. For example, a social networking service user may include one or more applications to customize or extend the functionality of the social networking service.
Within the social networking service, a user may be represented by an avatar. Generally speaking, an avatar may be a graphical two-dimensional icon or a 3-dimensional model that may represent a user. An avatar may be as simple as a picture of the user or may be a graphical object that may represent the user's actions, beliefs, interests, appearance, identity, personality, and the like. An avatar may further be animated. In addition to representing the characteristics recited above, a user may opt to utilize an avatar—particularly a graphical icon or model—to maintain their anonymity while participating in and interacting with the social networking service and members thereof.
In addition to social networking services, an avatar may also be useful as part of a desktop widget, panel, gadget, or the like. In general, a widget, panel, gadget, and the like may be physically inspired applications or applets that provide desktop access to frequently used functions and/or information, for example clocks, calendars, news services, and the like.